1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to an electrical compression connector.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,131 discloses a twisted H-shaped electrical connector. A hydraulic compression tool can be used to compress the connector for connecting two conductors to each other at the same time. FCI USA Inc. sells electrical compression connectors under the part designation YH298C which are specifically designed for the telecommunications industry for making parallel and tap connections to copper Class I and Class K stranded conductors.
Class K conductors are more flexible than Class I conductors. This increased flexibility is provided by a substantially larger number of individual strands in the conductor. For example, an 8 AWG Class I copper stranded conductor has 41 strands and an 8 AWG Class K copper stranded conductor has 168 strands. The individual strands of a Class K conductor have a smaller diameter than the individual strands in a Class I conductor (0.01 inch versus 0.201 inch). However, a Class K conductor has a larger outer diameter than a Class I conductor of the same electrical size (i.e., an 8 AWG Class K conductor has a 0.157 inch nominal diameter, and an 8 AWG Class I conductor has a 0.156 inch nominal diameter).
For the YH298C connector, the tap conductor receiving channels can accept and be properly crimped onto a Class I conductor between 8-14 AWG or a Class K conductor between 10-14 AWG. The YH298C connector has problems being properly crimped onto an 8 AWG Class K conductor at its tap conductor receiving channels. The tap conductor receiving channels are too small to properly retain all the strands of the 8 AWG Class K conductor. Although an 8 AWG Class K conductor can be placed inside the tap conductor receiving channels of the conventional YH298C compression connector, during compression strands of the Class K conductor are pushed out of the lateral side aperture of the tap conductor receiving channel before the aperture is closed. This creates a problem electrically due to the small percentage of strands actually contained in the compressed conductor tap receiving channel. These non-contained stands can also contact and thereby cause problems with nearby electrical or electronic components. In addition, these strands can break off of the conductor and cause additional problems with nearby electrical or electronic components.
There is a desire to provide an electrical compression connector with tap conductor receiving channels which can be used with Class I and Class K conductors having the same electrical wire size. There is also a desire to provide an electrical compression connector adapted to be connected to a Class I conductor or a Class K conductor of the same size and can be compressed onto the Class K conductor without strands of the conductor being pushed out of a lateral side aperture into the tap conductor receiving area before the aperture is closed.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an electrical compression connector is provided comprising a first section having a first conductor receiving channel extending into a first top side of the connector; and a second section integrally formed with the first section having a second conductor receiving channel extending into a second lateral side of the connector. The second section comprises a bottom portion at the second conductor receiving channel curving upward and extending outward laterally past a top portion of the second section at the second conductor receiving channel. The first and second sections are adapted to be compressed in a compression tool onto conductors at substantially a same time with an aperture into the second conductor receiving channel at the second lateral side being closed by the bottom portion of the second section before substantial compression of the first section onto its respective conductor.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an electrical compression connector is provided comprising a first section having a first conductor receiving channel extending into a top side of the connector; and an integral second section having two second conductor receiving channels extending into two opposite lateral sides of the connector. The two second conductor receiving channels are each sized and shaped to receive and be operably compressed onto Class I or Class K stranded conductors between 14 AWG and 8 AWG in size. Opposite bottom portions of the second section at the two conductor receiving channels extend upward and extend laterally outward past lateral sides of top portions of the second section at the second conductor receiving channels.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an extruded one-piece electrical compression connector is provided having a general U-shaped top section forming a first conductor receiving channel and a bottom section having two second conductor receiving channels extending into respective opposite lateral sides of the bottom section. Portions of the bottom section extend laterally outward at a lateral side aperture into each of the two second conductor receiving channels. The portions deform to close the lateral side apertures at a start of compression of the connector.